Photos

UK photographer captures the beauty of freckles

By Anna Norris

19 January 2016

Trinity Mirror

Brock Elbank describes his working style as honest. "It's true to the subject matter," he says. The British photographer says he is inspired by people and flowers; he's always looking for what makes something beautiful.

His latest series happens to focus on something that many people try to cover up: freckles. A result of exposure to the sun's UV rays, many freckled folks have developed an aversion to the typical sunny day. The array of dark speckles is perceived as a flaw. That's what Elbank is trying to change.

It was the striking beauty of the freckles dotting his friend's son's face that first struck Elbank and inspired him to start the project. "Eddie had this face full of freckles like I’d never seen before," Elbank says.

Elbank's last series was called "BEARDS," a striking collection of facial hair from all walks of life. "With all my series I then become obsessed with the subject, searching out for the most diverse mix I can to document the subject," he says.

Such was the case with FRECKLES. Elbank has invited anyone with freckles to submit a photo via email to have the opportunity to go to his studio in London to be photographed.

"It's really why I shoot what I love to shoot, just amazing-looking individuals from all walks of life," Elbank says. "People really are the most incredible subjects to photograph. Each time I travel on the tube I see dozens of individuals I [would] love to shoot."

Most of his subjects struggled with their freckly features at one point, Elbank says. Some still hate their freckles while others learned to embrace them.

"But this is what fascinates me photographing people, is what I tend to find beautiful or striking in a person [is something] they’ve struggled with through life," Elbank says.

"One subject I shot in September for the series spent a good three-to-four hours with me post portrait talking about how they felt as a kid, bullied, rejected at school for their appearance which really shocked me ... They even asked if I was going to do an exhibition, because they were excited at the prospect of being in a room full of people who looked like them, which really struck a cord with me."

One woman who had freckles along her right shoulder, arm and right cheek had tried to hide her freckles her entire life. "It took real guts to apply, and the positive feedback she's now receiving on Instagram is just great!"

That's the heart of what Elbank is trying to do: help people understand that flaws can make you beautiful. The message he is trying to send is that all people from all backgrounds and walks of life are amazing in their own way.

"I had a very positive response from the subjects after they've seen their works, which many have really embraced, which makes it all the more worthwhile," Elbank said.

To keep up with Elbank's latest work, head over to his Instagram, his website or his Tumblr. If you're a freckled Londoner and would like to send in your recent, colour photo for the chance to have your portrait made, send an email to studio@mrelbank.com.

The FRECKLES series is slated to be exhibited in 2017 at the Michael Reid gallery in Sydney and Berlin.

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